What We Least Expect
by courtcarter
Summary: Sometimes people are different from what we expect and sometimes things can change.
1. Chapter 1

What We Least Expect…

She was a popular professor. According to her students she made Physics fun and interesting. She always had time to help the students and her fellow professors. And yet, no one knew her. She was an enigma. Oh they knew the basics – she was intelligent, she had a number of degrees under belt, and she had written a couple of books and articles. Not to mention the awards she won for her work in the scientific community.

About her personally? They knew she ran every morning at 6 am. She ran like there was something chasing her, and she couldn't get away. They knew that sometimes she'd get a faraway look in her eyes. If asked about it, she would turn away and quietly answer that it was personal. They knew that she looked sad, even when she smiled. Her eyes gave it away. They also knew that on November 3rd, she would cancel her classes and leave town. No one would be able to get in touch wither. Email, phone calls, and texts went unanswered. Everyone knew she left, but no one knew where she went. They just knew that she would show up the next day – same as usual. Few people asked where she went and she would always reply with "It's personal". Then she would excuse herself.

She didn't seem to have a lot of friends. In fact, none of the other professors had ever been inside her house. Whenever someone saw her, she was alone. They knew she wasn't seeing anyone, since she only bought enough groceries for one. That information was gleaned from a student of hers who worked at the grocery store. Yet for all they knew, there was still so much mystery surrounding her. Because of this, they were curious and speculation abounded.

What they didn't know, was that today, would bring new insight into her life. But that insight would leave them with more questions than answers.

Sam Carter sat alone at her cafeteria table, no-so-fully absorbed in the latest astrophysics journal. Most of the ideas were false and she had to force herself from laughing aloud at their backwards thinking. Yet, no matter how ridiculous the theories, she still had to keep updated on them. All of a sudden, she heard the cafeteria get suspiciously quiet. While her curiosity was aroused, she didn't bother to look up. Sam figured it was going to be another singing telegram asking a girl to forgive some guy for whatever had occurred over the weekend. Instead she heard a familiar thump of army issued boots, heading in her direction. She was sure that this would be like all the others, so she kept her face carefully blank as they came closer. Sam could feel all in the cafeteria turn their eyes towards her. Stealing herself, she waited until the men were in front of her, before lifting her head.

"Colonel Carter." One said, as both saluted. He had invested all of his awe and feeling of privilege at standing before such a legend.

"Retired gentlemen," she replied without bothering to salute back. In fact, her tone held an ironic tone. Meanwhile, the whole cafeteria watched on with fascinated looks on their faces.

"Ma'am. This is a special request from the President. We are to wait for you to gather your belongings and bring you to the airport where a plane is waiting". He said, placing a very official looking piece of paper on her table.

Sam slowly stood up. She picked up the tray and her book. She looked at the soldiers and said, "Tell Kinsey, no!" Then she walked past them, placed her tray in the bin and walked out. The soldiers looked at the piece of paper that laid unopened on the table then at each other. One picked it up and they walked out. In their wake, the cafeteria erupted in conversation.


	2. Chapter 2

Very short add-on.

Sam walked back to her office and sat down. After a few breathes, she pulled out a picture from her wallet. The picture was her favorite one of SG-1. More importantly, it showed Jack O'Neill the way she wanted to remember him - laughing, and carefree in his leather jacket. He was looking straight ahead at the camera and had his arm around her.

In the last three years, the powers that be had tried every way they could to bring her back - phone calls, letters, and other soldiers with "orders". Everyone she refused. They tried other ways of getting her back – threats and bribes. All she refused. She never wanted to go back. She refused to help 'them'. Those who refused to help her. Before she could delve deeper into her memories, a small alarm caught her attention. It was her ten minute warning for class. She still had the tendency to become engrossed in her work and she felt that being on time for class was major responsibility of a professor. Replacing the photo back in her wallet and picking up her books, she headed for class.

As she walked in to her class, the noise came to an abrupt halt. Everyone stared at her. She sighed, knowing they were all curious and that she would have to give them some answers before they'd be ready to get to work.

"Dr. Carter is it true you're a Colonel?" one asked.

"I was…I'm retired now." She answered.

"Colonel for what…the military?" asked another.

"No, the Air Force."

"You flew planes?" was one student's astonished question. From there the questions flew at her, especially when she had to reply to one classified. Then came the one she knew would come – why did you leave?

Without realizing it, her face closed up. To her students it looked as if her face froze as she said, "Classified".

Her tone left no room for more questions. She turned, grabbed her book and told them to open theirs, beginning class.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam finally made it home at about 5 o'clock. Usually she stayed late for the required office hours, but today she couldn't bring herself to stay. Instead she stuck a note on her door, jumped in her car and drove home as fast as she could. Placing her bag on the hallway table, she walked straight to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she found exactly what she needed – a nice cold bottle of vodka. She opened the bottle on her way back to the living room, sat down, took a long sip and shut her eyes. Today had been a difficult one. First, the soldiers and then the student's questions. Usually she could keep the memories at bay, but today she just couldn't. Leaning back on the couch, she relaxed and let the memories pass over her.

They had been on a regular reconnaissance mission – go in, check the terrain, meet the locals, see if they had anything worth trading for and then reporting all back to the SGC. Out of no where the inhabitants attacked. SG-1 ran for the Stargate while shooting at the ones behind. They had taken cover in an abandoned building while they made sure the way to the Gate was free of hostiles. Seeing how bad it was, O'Neill ordered Carter to run and dial the Gate. She did, while O'Neill followed to protect her six, Daniel and Teal'c kept the hostiles busy. Sam had just finished dialing when the Colonel ordered her to go through. She stood in front of the Stargate and turned, to help cover the others. O'Neill radioed Daniel, telling them to start for the gate. All of a sudden there was an explosion from the building. The force of it knocked Sam through the Gate. In the control room, Hammond and Siler watched her body hit the ramp. Debris followed her, and then the wormhole shut down. The medical team rushed into the Gate room, but Sam was unconscious. Once she was sent to the infirmary, Hammond tried to dial up the planet. It was useless. The Stargate wouldn't engage. Over the next three days they would try to open it. Finally it connected. Unfortunately the MALP showed that the planet was barren, the building was in rubble and all signs of life were gone – destroyed.

It was four days later when Sam woke up. Apparently the force of the explosion combined with her head hitting the ramp caused her to go into a comatose state. At first she was unable to understand what they were saying. SG-1 was dead. Impossible! They couldn't be. She screamed and ranted and tried to persuade General Hammond to go back. To figure out where they were, to let her go there. When they kept refusing, she went so far as to visit the president, since he owed Colonel O'Neill some favors. Even he said "no". Everyone tried to be understanding – she had just lost her team, her best friends, but to be honest, she was annoyingly stubborn in her lack of belief that the rest of SG-1 were dead. Sam didn't see it that way. She just saw that they had given up. After a major blow out with General Hammond, she decided to quit. She really had no choice, they were gone, Hammond's harsh words convinced her of that. Even if they weren't dead, it would be up to them to get home as the SGC wasn't going to help. Sam spent a couple of weeks going out with different teams looking for them secretly. Then their allies came back and reported that there were no life signs on the planet. That day Sam gave up. She packed up her house, handed in her resignation, left her lab and took a job at this University.

It had been exactly what she needed - a place she could remember her friends. A place she could walk around without everyone knowing of her loss. She could just be Dr. Carter, not poor Colonel Carter. Here she didn't need to be the brilliant life-saving, alien-ass kicking soldier. Here she could just – be. That was if you excluded the phone calls, emails and messengers from the SGC and other affiliated technology companies who tried to call her back into "their" world. No matter how many times they asked her back – making it seem like the world was going to be destroyed, she refused to go back. They tried everything – bribes, blackmail and in some cases begging. The second year, it slowed down a bit. Finally, they had only called a couple of times. She was enjoying her life - her work was enjoyable; she enjoyed teaching and she liked not having to come up with ideas to save the planet every other day. Most of all, she enjoyed her anonymity. She knew that the university people were curious about her. She didn't feel the need to explain, hell most of it she couldn't explain since it was classified. Then again she didn't mind the curiosity of those people nor did she feel the need to assuage it. She was content now. She had her work and she had her memories that were all that was needed.

Now they were back? For what reason? And this seemed worse then before. They actually came to her work. They sent soldiers to take her...hmmm. Oh well – she could care less. She was done with them, the politics, the "emergencies", the life-and-death situations. She had a good life, she was content. That was all she needed.


End file.
